I have a reg. ND that has one scur about 3-4 inches long that DID curve backwards until this week. The boys are starting to smell so probably in rut and I am guessing head butting alot. So I go out yesterday and that scur looks twisted outward now and it has been bleeding. Not causing him much pain it doesn't seem. I seperated him from the other boys but is there something I need to do? Would really like to get rid of the scur all together but I don't know if I should try to band it so it come off or let it heal or what?
I tend to be a little more severe with scurs than most. This is what I would do but maybe not the best for most..... If the scur is loose (you can wiggle it and tell it's just skin surface), I would turn on my iron, get some pliers and rip that puppy off. Then burn really good. Give banamine for swelling and pain. If the scur is attached to the head, you could band but it sounds like you don't have a good attachment area since it's all ready worked itself loose/off. If the lower area is still intact, you could band it. My fault with banding is I sometimes don't get low enough ..... arg!
When my bucks knock their scurrs loose I spray the area with BlueKote. Make sure to keep it coated for several days to keep the flies off. I don't like to pull the scurs off. You can cause further bleeding by pulling. If you are not experienced with a disbudding iron I would not attempt to burn a grown buck. It can be dangerous for you and the buck. If there is a great deal of blood loss I would contact a vet.
When I asked my vet about Fernando's scurs...she reached over and grabbed one and broke it off...then she did the other one, lol. They didn't even bleed much. But, she said they'd grow back and they did. He'd fight and break one and bleed. I should have burned them then. But, they did grow back less each time. I see Red's scur is growing back into his head...so DH is going to break it off with a plier and then we are going to burn it...that is if we can hold him still long enough. :GAAH:
Thanks for all the info guys. Littlebleats, that sounds good to meto take it off and burn. I think it is broke higher than than his actual head by about a half inch. Should I just cut with pliers below the break and burn?
